Luke 11:5-13
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:5-13 (NSRVUE)
“Seek and you will find”. Yeah, well, it seems like I’m always seeking. I don’t multitask as well as I used to, so I tend to put things down where they don’t belong. Searching for my half-full tea cup, the TV remote, or a book I’m reading seems to be a daily routine. Anybody else find themselves wandering around the basement storage area trying to figure out what they came down to get? Ah, the joys of aging!
Verses 9 and 10 have been used out of context to promote the “Prosperity Gospel” – the belief that God will reward us in material ways for our faith and charitable giving. Televangelists and faith healers were – and still are – big proponents of this idea.
But, if you look at verse 13, it’s clear that Jesus wasn’t talking about searching for tangible, physical objects. It’s not about getting more money, a new car, or finding my tea cup. The ultimate treasure is spiritual – a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. In John 14, at the end of the Last Supper, Jesus tells his disciples:
26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
The Holy Spirit comes onto the disciples in Acts 2:
1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
That Spirit is still with us today. We just have to listen.
Questions for Reflection:
- How do you sense the Holy Spirit in your life?
- I get those little “Spirit” nudges on a regular basis. Sadly, I don’t act on them as often as I should. How about you?
Prayer:
Hey God, Thanks for providing a conduit to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes I need more than a gentle nudge. Keep poking me and I’ll try to be a better listener. Amen.
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